Table 1 Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
|---|---|
Primary, idiopathic CTS | Previous steroid injection in same wrist |
Age 18-70 years | Inflammatory joint disease |
Either gender | Diabetes mellitus |
Classic or probable CTS according to the diagnostic criteria in the Katz hand diagram | Polyneuropathy |
Symptom duration of at least 3 months | Vibration induced neuropathy |
Inadequate response to wrist splint | Pregnancy |
Abnormal nerve conduction tests or, if normal, CTS diagnosed independently by 2 surgeons | Trauma to affected hand in preceding year |
Patient willing to undergo surgery | Previous surgery for CTS on affected hand |
Surgery for CTS on contralateral hand in preceding 2 months | |
Inability to respond to questionnaires | |
Severe sensory loss (two-point discrimination >8 mm) | |
Thenar atrophy | |
Severe medical illness | |
Drug or alcohol abuse |